Be With You In A Second.

Many if not most animal advocates will be familiar with this graphic



This graphic is (graphically) ticking off the deaths of other animals by the second. Chickens die at the rate of 287 per second; pigs at almost 4 per second; and cows at more than 1 per second.

As shocking as these numbers seem, they are only the tip of the ongoing problem since they represent only three types of other animals used and exploited by humans and, moreover, the numbers apply only to the USA.

I wonder, then, as I see essay-length postings on Face Book and elsewhere, when animal advocates are essentially talking to one another - and that usually means criticising one another - whether we ever pause to think of these numbers while we type. I think we should. I think we owe it to other animals that we do.

I say "we" because I am guilty of taking part in this internal incessant noise that goes on in the animal protection movement - and in all social movements in fact. Indeed, to some extent, I favour it within reason, since social movements need to think critically about what they do and about why they do what they do. Critical thinking is - or can be - aided by respectful dialogue and thoughtful interaction among concerned parties in movements.

Whenever I'm through reading (or helping write) the latest 50-post exchange, I wonder if my time could be better spent. I think many times the answer to that is an unequivocal "yes."

Momo to self: must do better.

We do well to remember that old slogan: it's for the animals, folks: not us, not careers, not ego, not gain, not social or "movement" status. It really is for the animals.